THE SHIP IMPRISONED 79 



table behind him, but a horny hand gripped him by the 

 collar and pulled him away. 



'You told Chimoo. I've seen it in the way 'e looks 

 at me. You broke your promise to old Nat, did you 

 not?' 



'No, no!' Jonathan cried. 



The grip on his throat tightened. Then through the 

 mist that was covering his eyes he saw the door open 

 behind Sykes. A long brown arm went round the man's 

 neck and the choking sensation in his own throat 

 suddenly ceased. As he collapsed on the deck of the 

 galley he heard as if far away the thud of a man's weight 

 against a bulkhead. His head cleared and the mist 

 passed from his eyes. He sat up and saw in the passage- 

 way outside the tall figure of Chimoo standing with 

 tomahawk in hand over the half-stunned figure of Sykes. 



'You plenty bad white man,' the Indian was saying in 

 a deep fierce voice. 'You bring bad liquor to Injun 

 village and many strong braves grow sick and go to meet 

 Injun gods. Then one Injun brave tell bad white man 

 go 'way from village and you bad white man killem.' 



At last Jonathan knew why Sykes had committed that 

 foul crime and he listened apprehensively as the Indian 

 continued his condemnation. 



'You bad white man afraid Injun tribe know who killed 

 their brave and you sign on Pilgrim. You sleep with 

 much liquor inside you and when you wake up you find 

 Chimoo brother of dead Injun and then you more scared. 

 But Chimoo still not sure and wait for more signs. Then 

 Injun god visit white boy in sleep and makem tell Chimoo 

 who kill brother. He say you bad white man, you killem 

 and you kill white boy too if he speak. Chimoo no can 

 take bad man Sykes to shore and fight him like true 

 brave. Injun god say Chimoo kill bad man now!' and 

 Chimoo raised his tomahawk. 



Sykes rolled over in an attempt to avoid the blow. 



